High Rollers

Check out these fabulous vintage roller sets from the September 1961 issue of Australian Woman's Day magazine... My favorite? The Summer Parfait...!

images: flickr.com

Julien Hébert and the Expo 67 Symbol

Julien Hébert was born in 1917 in the municipality of Rigaud. A pioneer of modern industrial design in Québec, Hébert was originally a student of philosophy before venturing into the Arts. He studied sculpture in Montreal at l'École des beaux-arts, and in Paris under famed sculptor Ossip Zadkine.

Hébert's prominent career saw him teach art history and sculpture at the École des beaux-arts and planning and design at the École du meuble. He also played a key role in establishing the École du design industriel at the Université de Montréal, where he taught as well.

In 1979, he was awarded the distinguished Prix Paul-Émile-Borduas.

Julien Hébert's most famous contribution to popular culture is arguably the design of the Expo 67 logo. In the above Radio-Canada archive, Hébert himself sheds light on the Expo planners' selection process, as well as the meaning of the now-ubiquitous symbol.

image montage by author

GQ, September 1967

From the September 1967 issue of GQ magazine:

"A male model poses in the Man in the Community pavilion at Expo 67. He wears a four-buttoned DB houndstooth blazer by Hammonton Park with square shoulders, peak lapels, straight flap pockets, and deep side vents."

photo: Leonard Nones

La Cantine

This has got to be one of my favorite new restaurants!

Opened in August 2008, La Cantine is a trip to 1970's nostalgic heaven.

Owner Pierre-Luc Chevalier says the inspiration for his retro-cool bistro stems from childhood outings to canteens with his grandparents: fond memories of orange vinyl banquettes and dishes such as hamburger steak...

La Cantine's menu is an homage to the type of down-home Québecois comfort food we all grew up with... but with a modern, chic twist.

The "Pogos" are bite sized hors d'oeuvres: little wild boar and mushroom sausages fried in beer batter, served with honey-mustard sauce. The "Pâté presque-Chinois" is a simmering casserole of mixed meats, corn, and cheesy potatoes with crispy, crusty edges (as a kid, this was always my favorite part of Shepherd's Pie...) The "Cheeseburger" platter is a mixed game patty, with goat's cheese and mushrooms, served with a raspberry vinaigrette coleslaw, and some of the most delicious french fries I've ever tasted... (their secret: the fries are battered).

La Cantine's homemade mayo is even pink, my favorite color!

Desserts are generous and equally lowbrow/highbrow... I highly recommend the pouding chômeur which features a hint of fleur de sel, for a heavenly salty/sweet taste...

La Cantine also serves brunch on weekends, available from 9am until 3pm, with clever dish names such as "Mange tes croutes!" ("Eat your crusts!")...

The restaurant's décor can only be described as "rec room chic". Reproduction 1970's wallpaper and vintage metallic objets d'arts give the restaurant its kitschy-cool ambiance. Framed collages of mid-70's catalog images can be seen throughout and have become La Cantine's trademarks. There's even an orange banquette... but this one is velvet!

A sweet next-door café/boutique sells takeout sandwiches and dishes, as well as fab locally-made products (including baguettes and pistachio croissants from Arhoma, an artisanal bakery in Montreal's Hochelaga-Maisonneuve neighborhood).

La Cantine celebrates its first anniversary this Thursday, August 6th, 2009. A special 5 à 7 is planned for the evening, with a select menu featuring the bistro's most popular dishes. Guests wearing orange (La Cantine's signature color) will be served a complimentary "Barbie Punch". An exclusive banana and chocolate dessert will finish the evening in style...

La Cantine
212 Mont-Royal E.
514-750-9800

photos: Carrie MacPherson

Fort Edmonton

Fort Edmonton-Pioneerland was situated in the La Ronde sector of Expo 67 and sponsored by the city of Edmonton, Alberta.

A view of Fort Edmonton from the Expo-Express station.

Located near La Ronde's Expo Express station, Fort Edmonton was one of the first things visitors saw as they entered the amusement area of Expo 67. Surrounded by a barrier of tree trunks, Fort Edmonton's traditional setting transported guests to the old Canadian West.

The Golden Garter saloon.

The Gold Rush days were re-created with continuous lively entertainment at the Golden Garter saloon, where leggy chorus girls could often be seen through its swing doors. A full liquor service was available at the establishment, which became "adults-only" after 6pm.

One of Fort Edmonton's daily action-packed shows.

Visitors could have their picture taken behind bars at Fort Edmonton, or have novelty newspaper headlines printed while they waited. There was also had a general store, a film and camera shop, hat and souvenir stands, and 2 restaurants... The Klondike steakhouse served barbecued and grilled specialties in an authentic frontier-style ambiance.

There was even a barber shop, where men could have their hair cut...!

The typical Gold Rush atmosphere of Fort Edmonton.

A Minirail station at Fort Edmonton took visitors to other areas of La Ronde.



One of the attractions in Fort Edmonton was the Flume ride. Passengers sat in hollow logs that floated down twisting ramps of water, ending with a climactic final plunge, leaving visitors thrilled and damp...

This water-borne roller coaster was one of La Ronde's most popular rides.

An aerial view of La Ronde's Flume ride during Expo 67.



La Ronde's Fort Edmonton still exists today, and the La Pitoune log ride is still one of the park's most beloved attractions...

images: (1) flickr.com
(2-3) the Lillian Seymour collection
(6) ebay.com
(4-5-7) library and archives Canada

Nightlife Magazine Interview

Expo Lounge (and my passion for Expo 67) are the subject of an interview appearing in the summer 2009 issue of Nightlife Magazine.

Disneyland's House of the Future

The House of the Future was an attraction that debuted in 1957 at the Disneyland theme park in Anaheim, California. Sponsored by the Monsanto Chemical Company, the ultra-modern house was almost entirely synthetic.

Set in the year 1986, the House of the Future's 4 equal wings seemed to float above its beautifully landscaped grounds and waterfalls.

The house's designers, Marvin Goody and Richard Hamilton.

Designed by Marvin Goody and Richard Hamilton of the Goody Clancy firm in Boston, Massachusetts, the 1280 square foot structure took 2 years to develop. Originally members of the faculty or architecture at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Goody and Hamilton were hired by Monsanto to find new markets for plastic products. They eventually formed their own private firm to take over the commercial planning of the project.

A 1966 magazine article describing Monsanto's futuristic plastic house.

The House of the Future was made from 8 prefabricated plastic modules, placed one on top of the other, forming the ceiling, floor, and wall (the remaining walls were windows). When the modules originally arrived at Disneyland for assembly, receiving clerks thought they were part of a boat!

The central core of the house contained the kitchen and bathrooms, while the four wings each contained one room. The entire structure was solidly anchored to an earthquake rated concrete foundation.

The House of the Future under construction, in early 1957.

Construction at Disneyland began on January 7, 1957, and was completed by early June. A special preview day was held on June 11, 1957, while the official public opening of the House of the Future was held the next day.

An estimated 60,000 visitors toured the House of the Future each week.

Upon entering, visitors found themselves in the dining and family room, a place where the family of the future would play, rest, and dine on stylish plastic furniture. Nearby, the Atoms for Living Kitchen awed guests with futuristic amenities such as the microwave oven.

The 2 children’s bedrooms followed, one for the boy of the future and one for the girl of the future, as well as the shared kids’ bathroom. The master bedroom and the main bathroom were next on the tour, which concluded itself in the sleek living room, featuring a giant, wall-mounted television and built-in high fidelity equipment.

The futuristic kitchen featured an ultra-sonic dishwasher.

The dining room of the future... with plastic dishes, of course!

The ultra-modern bathrooms were completely molded in plastic.

A night view of the House of the Future.

An illuminated replica, in a limited edition of 1000, produced in 1996.

The House of the Future is yet another example of the retro-futuristic aesthetic that I adore, reminding me a bit of Jacque Fresco's designs...

Vanished today, there continues to be subtle tributes to the House of the Future both at Disneyland and Walt Disney World...




images: (1) yesterland.com
(2, 4 & 11) flickr.com
(3, 5 & 6) davelandweb.com
(7, 8, 9, 10 & 12) LIFE photo archive